With the use of robotic systems, drones and other remotely controlled equipment, the war with Russia is entering a new stage, newly-appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyy has said in an interview with German ZDF Heute Nachrichten.
"The situation is complicated, meaning that the enemy is advancing along virtually the entire frontline, and we have moved from offensive actions to a defensive operation. The purpose of our defensive operation is to deplete the enemy's forces, inflict maximum losses on them using our fortifications, our technical advantages, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles," said Syrskyy.
He noted that "there has not been a war like this since World War Two and with such a duration", because "all the operations that were carried out lasted several months".
He stressed the importance of using ground drones to save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.
"We are now seeing the role of drones increasing every day. This is due to the fact that more and more drones are being used on both sides every day. Now, in all echelons of military command, every commander can see the whole picture of the battlefield. Whereas earlier he could see a limited part of it from a dugout. This war has greatly increased the importance of technological progress in the process of armed struggle," Syrskyy said.
He complained that the Ukrainian army currently lacks the help of its partners. "We have enough resilience and fortitude. We lack support. As I have already said, we lack ammunition and equipment," Syrskyy said, adding that the weapons Ukraine uses have their own lifespan and are wearing out and need to be replaced.
He said that Ukraine counts on Western partners' economies because "we are fighting and using the most valuable thing we have - our people, the cream of our nation" and noted the importance of increasing Ukraine's own production.
"There is no help from outside - we need to launch our own production. It is already in progress, we need to increase production volumes. We have to rely on ourselves first and foremost, not just our partners," said Syrskyy.